A firefighter's garments customarily have a plurality of layers. Customarily, each layer is of a material different from the materials of the other layers, and each layer serves a purpose different from the purpose of the other layers.
A firefighter's coat and a firefighter's trousers each have an inner liner or thermal barrier. Customarily, the inner liner and the other layers of the garment are attached together as a unit. This has become a custom because a firefighter has historically demonstrated the desire and tendency to remove a detachable inner liner from a firefighting garment. This is particularly true during hot weather. Removing the inner liner makes the garment cooler and more comfortable and reduces stress upon the firefighter, but also makes the garment unacceptable for firefighting protection.
This problem has become so significant that firefighting administrators now customarily request that an inner layer of a firefighter's garment be stitched to other layers of the garment to prevent disassembly of the garment. The permanent attachment of an inner liner to the other layers of a firefighter's garment has several disadvantages, as discussed below. However, stitching of an inner liner to the other layers of a firefighter's garment continues to be a custom, because with the use of conventional firefighter garments, a firefighting administrator cannot readily visually determine that a firefighter is wearing a garment which has no inner liner.
As stated above, problems exist with regard to a firefighter's garment in which all layers are stitched together. During the fighting of a fire, the inner liner usually becomes saturated with perspiration. It is, of course, desirable to clean the inner liner. When the inner liner is attached to the other layers of the garment, the entire garment must be cleaned as a unit. Of course, it is desirable to clean the entire garment. However, the outer layer is covered with smoke and ashes and the like, and it is desirable to clean the inner liner in a different manner and/or in different solution from that in which the inner liner is cleaned. Also, an outer layer or an inner layer sometimes wears out or becomes damaged. It is desirable to be able to replace the damaged or worn layer without replacing the other layers.
This problem has been addressed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,507,806. This patent shows a firefighter's coat which has a collar which is attached to an inner liner. Therefore, the collar is removed when the inner liner is removed from the garment. Such a firefighter's garment is helpful toward solving the problem discussed above. However, when a firefighter is completely dressed for firefighting, with mask, helmet with ear flaps, etc., the absence of a collar from the coat may not be readily observable. However, the coat is usable even though the coat does not have a collar.
It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a firefighter's garment which has an inner liner or thermal barrier which is easily removable from the other layers of the garment.
It is another object of this invention to provide means and a method by which an inner liner or thermal barrier in a firefighter's coat is removably attached to an outer layer.
It is another object of this invention to provide a means and a method by which an inner liner or thermal barrier in a firefighter's trousers is removably attached to an outer layer.
Another object of this invention is to provide such a garment for a firefighter in which the garment is not readily usable as a firefighting garment when the inner liner is removed.
It is another object of this invention to provide such a garment in which the outer appearance of the firefighter's garment is significantly changed when the inner liner is not present in the garment.
Other objects and advantages of this invention reside in the construction of parts, the combination thereof, the method of production and the mode of use as will become more apparent from the following description.